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Nesarian War of Succession
Nesarian War of Succession The Nesarian War of Succession (in Nesaria, just referred to as the War of Succession) was the second-longest continuous war ever fought in Nesaria (the longest being the Human-Mortian War). It claimed an estimated 372,000 lives, although over 93.5 years this was not particularly significant. It was fought between three dynasties claiming inheritance to the throne of Nesaria, which formed the Nesarian Empire (often referred to outside the realm as the Kingdom of Ascaria), the Kingdom of the South and the Kingdom of the North. In 17BC, Emperor Mathados IV was assassinated. He only had one son, Athdus I, a sixteen-year-old who was notoriously sickly and unintelligent. Two other men related to the royal family (but not of the House of Capilus), Davod Aberis (the Duke of Cortathshire) and Ronaldos Huginta (the Duke of Dongrishire). Ronaldos successfully led a lightning-fast invasion of Zatholshire and conquered it, and he won over the Duke of Eshérshire by making promises of territorial gains and exploiting the rivalry between the House of Eshér (the ruling dynasty of Eshérshire) and the House of Aberis. Davod won over the Duke of Infrishire by also making promises of territorial gains. This left the Capilus dynasty with Ascaria, Infrishire and Mountaingate. When it became evident that the war would drag on for many years, the different dynasties styled themselves as Kingdoms, although initially the Capilus dynasty still claimed to rule the Nesarian Empire. Ronaldos crowned himself King of the South, and Davod crowned himself King of the North. Davod also, after about a year, changed his goal from claiming the throne of the Empire to independence for the Kingdom of the North. This attracted very large numbers of brave and patriotic but ultimately untrained and poorly equipped peasants to his cause - this is why the North had disproportionately high casualties compared to the others. After Athdus I succumbed to disease in 3AD, his son, Athdus II, took the throne. Athdus II was more physically fit and intelligent than his predecessor. He crowned himself King of Ascaria, and personally led the defence of Mountaingate, the primary area of conflict with the North. The defence of Mountaingate under Athdus I was where both the Kingdoms of Ascaria and the North gained most of their casualties. Athdus II died in 75AD of natural causes, however during his life he made little territorial gains. His son, Athdus III, was the one who ended the war. He left just enough troops in Mountaingate to defend it and focussed fully on an invasion of the South, catching the King of the South - Hevacos Huginta - unawares, sailing across Lake Jerumtine and retaking Zatholshire. There were few casualties on either side during this invasion. He also re-asserted the loyalty of Mortia, which had not participated in the war but had essentially broken free and become independent. He almost took Dongrishire before hearing news of a massed Southern counterattack through the North, which eventually led to the Battle of Infria in 77AD, which resulted in the death of Hevacos and the surrender of Faltas Aberis, King of the North. Athdus III was crowned Emperor of Nesaria and soon went on to conquer vast territories beyond Nesaria which now form the modern Nesarian Empire.